Bible Readings for November 1, 2015

Today our passages are Ezekiel 1:1–3:15; Hebrews 3:1-19; Psalm 104:1-23; and Proverbs 26:24-26. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal. 

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Ezekiel 1-3:15 (Contemporary English Version)

Ezekiel 1

Ezekiel Sees the LORD's Glory

 ^1-3I am Ezekiel--a priest and the son of Buzi. ^[a] Five years after King Jehoiachin of Judah had been led away as a prisoner to Babylonia, I was living near the Chebar River among those who had been taken there with him. Then on the fifth day of the fourth month ^[b] of the thirtieth year, ^[c] the heavens suddenly opened. The LORD placed his hand upon me ^[d] and showed me some visions. ⁴I saw a windstorm blowing in from the north. Lightning flashed from a huge cloud and lit up the whole sky with a dazzling brightness. The fiery center of the cloud was as shiny as polished metal, ⁵and in that center I saw what looked like four living creatures. They were somewhat like humans, ⁶except that each one had four faces and four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, but their feet looked like the hoofs of calves and sparkled like bronze. ⁸Under each of their wings, these creatures had a human hand. ⁹The four creatures were standing back to back with the tips of their wings touching. They moved together in every direction, without turning their bodies.

    ¹⁰Each creature had the face of a human in front, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of a bull on the left, and the face of an eagle in back. ¹¹Two wings ^[e] of each creature were spread out and touched the wings of the creatures on either side. The other two wings of each creature were folded against its body. ¹²Wherever the four living creatures went, they moved together without turning their bodies, because each creature faced straight ahead. ¹³The creatures were glowing like hot coals, and I saw something like a flaming torch moving back and forth among them. Lightning flashed from the torch every time its flame blazed up. ^[f] ¹⁴The creatures themselves moved as quickly as sparks jumping from a fire. ^[g] ¹⁵I then noticed that on the ground beside each of the four living creatures was a wheel, ^[h] ¹⁶shining like chrysolite. ^[i] Each wheel was exactly the same and had a second wheel that cut through the middle of it, ^[j] ¹⁷so that they could move in any direction without turning. ¹⁸The rims of the wheels were large and had eyes all the way around them. ^[k] ^19-21The creatures controlled when and where the wheels moved--the wheels went wherever the four creatures went and stopped whenever they stopped. Even when the creatures flew in the air, the wheels were beside them. ^22-23Above the living creatures, I saw something that was sparkling like ice, and it reminded me of a dome. Each creature had two of its wings stretched out toward the creatures on either side, with the other two wings folded against its body. ²⁴Whenever the creatures flew, their wings roared like an ocean or a large army or even the voice of God All-Powerful. And whenever the creatures stopped, they folded their wings against their bodies.

    ²⁵When the creatures stopped flapping their wings, I heard a sound coming from above the dome. ²⁶I then saw what looked like a throne made of sapphire, ^[l] and sitting on the throne was a figure in the shape of a human. ²⁷From the waist up, it was glowing like metal in a hot furnace, and from the waist down it looked like the flames of a fire. The figure was surrounded by a bright light, ²⁸as colorful as a rainbow that appears after a storm. I realized I was seeing the brightness of the LORD's glory! So I bowed with my face to the ground, and just then I heard a voice speaking to me.

   

Ezekiel 2

The LORD Chooses Ezekiel

 ¹The LORD ^[m] said, "Ezekiel, son of man, ^[n] I want you to stand up and listen." ²After he said this, his Spirit took control of me and lifted me to my feet. Then the LORD said: ³Ezekiel, I am sending you to the people of Israel. They are just like their ancestors who rebelled against me and refused to stop. ⁴They are stubborn and hardheaded. But I, the LORD God, have chosen you to tell them what I say. ⁵Those rebels may not even listen, but at least they will know that a prophet has come to them.

    ⁶Don't be afraid of them or of anything they say. You may think you're in the middle of a thorn patch or a bunch of scorpions. But be brave ⁷and preach my message to them, whether they choose to listen or not. ⁸Ezekiel, don't rebel against me, as they have done. Instead, listen to everything I tell you.

   And now, Ezekiel, open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you.

    ⁹Just then, I saw a hand stretched out toward me. And in it was a scroll. ^[o] ¹⁰The hand opened the scroll, and both sides of it were filled with words of sadness, mourning, and grief.

Ezekiel 3

 ¹The LORD said, "Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people of Israel."

    ^2-3He handed me the scroll and said, "Eat this and fill up on it." So I ate the scroll, and it tasted sweet as honey.

    ⁴The LORD said:

   Ezekiel, I am sending you to your own people. ^5-6They are Israelites, not some strangers who speak a foreign language you can't understand. If I were to send you to foreign nations, they would listen to you. ⁷But the people of Israel will refuse to listen, because they have refused to listen to me. All of them are stubborn and hardheaded, ⁸so I will make you as stubborn as they are. ⁹You will be so determined to speak my message that nothing will stop you. I will make you hard like a diamond, and you'll have no reason to be afraid of those arrogant rebels.

    ¹⁰Listen carefully to everything I say and then think about it. ¹¹Then go to the people who were brought here to Babylonia with you and tell them you have a message from me, the LORD God. Do this, whether they listen to you or not.

    ¹²The Spirit ^[p] lifted me up, and as the glory of the LORD started to leave, ^[q] I heard a loud, thundering noise behind me. ¹³It was the sound made by the creatures' wings as they brushed against each other, and by the rumble of the wheels beside them. ¹⁴Then the Spirit carried me away. The LORD's power had taken complete control of me, and I was both annoyed and angry.

    ¹⁵When I was back with the others living at Abib Hill near the Chebar River, I sat among them for seven days, shocked at what had happened to me.

   

Footnotes:

1. Ezekiel 1:1 a priest and the son of Buzi: Or "the son of Buzi the priest."
2. Ezekiel 1:1 Five years. . . prisoner. . . fourth month: Probably July of 593 B.C.
3. Ezekiel 1:1 thirtieth year: The event from which this date is figured is unknown.
4. Ezekiel 1:1 The LORD placed his hand upon me: This was a sign that the LORD had chosen Ezekiel to be his prophet.
5. Ezekiel 1:11 Two wings: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Ezekiel 1:13 up: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 13.
7. Ezekiel 1:14 as sparks jumping from a fire: Or "as flashes of lightning."
8. Ezekiel 1:15 wheel: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 15.
9. Ezekiel 1:16 chrysolite: A precious stone that has an olive green color.
10. Ezekiel 1:16 a second wheel that cut through the middle of it: Or "a smaller wheel inside it."
11. Ezekiel 1:18 them: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 18.
12. Ezekiel 1:26 sapphire: A precious stone that has a blue color.
13. Ezekiel 2:1 The LORD: Hebrew "The voice."
14. Ezekiel 2:1 Ezekiel, son of man: The Hebrew text has "Son of man," which is often used in this book when the LORD speaks directly to Ezekiel. It means that Ezekiel is a mere human, yet he is the one the LORD has chosen to be his prophet who speaks for him to the people of Israel.
15. Ezekiel 2:9 scroll: A roll of paper or special leather used for writing on.
16. Ezekiel 3:12 The Spirit: Or "A wind."
17. Ezekiel 3:12 as the glory of the LORD started to leave: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Hebrews 3:1-19 (Contemporary English Version)

Hebrews 3

Jesus Is Greater than Moses

 ¹My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest! ²Jesus was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in serving all of ^[a] God's people. ³But Jesus deserves more honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house deserves more honor than the house. ⁴Of course, every house is built by someone, and God is really the one who built everything. ⁵Moses was a faithful servant and told God's people what would be said in the future. ⁶But Christ is the Son in charge of God's people. And we are those people, if we keep on being brave and don't lose hope.

   

A Rest for God's People

 ⁷It is just as the Holy Spirit says,

   "If you hear God's voice today,

    ⁸don't be stubborn!

   Don't rebel like those people

   who were tested

   in the desert.

    ⁹For forty years your ancestors

   tested God

   and saw

   the things he did.

    ¹⁰"Then God got tired of them

   and said,

   `You people never

   show good sense,

   and you don't understand

   what I want you to do.'

    ¹¹God became angry

   and told the people,

   `You will never enter

   my place of rest!' "

    ¹²My friends, watch out! Don't let evil thoughts or doubts make any of you turn from the living God. ¹³You must encourage one another each day. And you must keep on while there is still a time that can be called "today." If you don't, then sin may fool some of you and make you stubborn. ¹⁴We were sure about Christ when we first became his people. So let's hold tightly to our faith until the end. ¹⁵The Scriptures say,

   "If you hear his voice today,

   don't be stubborn

   like those who rebelled."

    ¹⁶Who were those people that heard God's voice and rebelled? Weren't they the same ones that came out of Egypt with Moses? ¹⁷Who were the people that made God angry for forty years? Weren't they the ones that sinned and died in the desert? ¹⁸And who did God say would never enter his place of rest? Weren't they the ones that disobeyed him? ¹⁹We see that those people did not enter the place of rest because they did not have faith.

   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 3:2 all of: Some manuscripts do not have these words.

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Psalm 104:1-23 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 104

The LORD Takes Care of His Creation

 ¹I praise you, LORD God,

   with all my heart.

   You are glorious and majestic,

   dressed in royal robes

    ²and surrounded by light.

   You spread out the sky

   like a tent,

    ³and you built your home

   over the mighty ocean.

   The clouds are your chariot

   with the wind as its wings.

    ⁴The winds are your messengers,

   and flames of fire

   are your servants.

    ⁵You built foundations

   for the earth,

   and it

   will never be shaken.

    ⁶You covered the earth

   with the ocean

   that rose

   above the mountains.

    ⁷Then your voice thundered!

   And the water flowed

    ⁸down the mountains

   and through the valleys

   to the place you prepared.

    ⁹Now you have set boundaries,

   so that the water will never

   flood the earth again.

    ¹⁰You provide streams of water

   in the hills and valleys,

    ¹¹so that the donkeys

   and other wild animals

   can satisfy their thirst.

    ¹²Birds build their nests nearby

   and sing in the trees.

    ¹³From your home above

   you send rain on the hills

   and water the earth.

    ¹⁴You let the earth produce

   grass for cattle,

   plants for our food,

    ¹⁵wine to cheer us up,

   olive oil for our skin,

   and grain for our health.

    ¹⁶Our LORD, your trees

   always have water,

   and so do the cedars

   you planted in Lebanon.

    ¹⁷Birds nest in those trees,

   and storks make their home

   in the fir trees.

    ¹⁸Wild goats find a home

   in the tall mountains,

   and small animals can hide

   between the rocks.

    ¹⁹You created the moon

   to tell us the seasons.

   The sun knows when to set,

    ²⁰and you made the darkness,

   so the animals in the forest

   could come out at night.

    ²¹Lions roar as they hunt

   for the food you provide.

    ²²But when morning comes,

   they return to their dens,

    ²³then we go out to work

   until the end of day.

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Proverbs 26:24-26 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁴The pleasant talk

   of an enemy

   hides more evil plans

    ²⁵than can be counted--

   so don't believe a word!

    ²⁶Everyone will see through

   those evil plans.

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Verse of the Day

“My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God's people.” - Ephesians 1:18

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

English novelist, poet, playwright, and politician, Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton wrote, “Talent does what it can; genius does what it must.”